Selective control flush action for toilets

ABSTRACT

Watersaving flush valve controls for toilets having two different capacity discharges from a reservoir. Said control having one opening and valve for lesser capacity outlet when lesser quantity discharge is required and another for using a greater capacity outlet when full discharge is required. Each control is selective and will terminate discharge action after selected discharge.

United States Patent William O. Sievers 512 Milwaukee St., Denver, Colo. 80206 853,385

Aug. 27, 1969 Apr. 13, 1971 lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented SELECTIVE CONTROL FLUSH ACTION FOR TOILETS 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 4/34, 4/10 Int. Cl E0341 3/00 Field ofSearch 4/1,31,33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 49, 52, 55,15

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 477,841 6/1892 Harvey 4/15 1,767,043 6/1930 Blaun et al 4/37 1,780,810 11/1930 Brown 4/37 1,963,21 1 6/1934 Patterson 4/37 2,803,833 8/1957 Charest 4/34 2,237,294 4/1941 Easley 4/37 Primary Examiner-Laveme D. Geiger Assistant Examiner-Donald B. Massenberg Attorney-Mc Grew and Edwards ABSTRACT: Watersaving flush valve controls for toilets having two different capacity discharges from a reservoir. Said control having one opening and valve for lesser capacity outlet when lesser quantity discharge is required and another for using a greater capacity outlet when full discharge is required. Each control is selective and will terminate discharge action after selected discharge.

Patentgd April 13,1911 3,574,866

FIG.!

INVENTOR. William 0. Sievers AT TORIVEYS SELECTIVE CONTROL FLUSH ACTION FOR TOILETS This invention relates to the control mechanism for filling the reservoir of toilets and discharge of the stored contents of the reservoir. The present requirements of water use are being tightened in many locations to conserve available water supplies and avoid unnecessary waste of such waters. At the present time, the toilet is wasteful in its water discharge action, in that for many purposes an adequate flush would be obtained by discharge of a much lesser quantity of water than that usually provided, but as the control mechanism operates, there is no way for the user to select lesser or larger quantities of water for discharge.

The present invention has been devised to provide such convenience and to assist the program of water conservation. The mechanical arrangement for the flushing operations requires intelligent use and selection by the user, but the actual flushing operation is so simple to complete that the selection requirement does not amount to an inconvenience to the user.

The practice of the present invention utilizes several innovations in the operation of toilets. In the first place, a preferred arrangement provides for both large volume and small volume discharges to be directed by the same control mechanism and the initial actuation of the mechanism, for example, may first produce a lesser volume discharge into the flush passage of the toilet, or the actuation of the other part of the control mechanism will result in a full discharge of the contents of the tank.

Another innovation is the provision of a dual control system with separate flow delivery lines or a bypass line between the reservoir outlet and the flush passage of the toilet by which a larger or smaller discharge can be provided selectively without necessitating a following discharge of the remaining quantity and with refilling controlled to provide only the quantity needing replacement.

Another embodiment of my invention provides another innovation in having two separate lines extending from the supply line to separate inlets as the flush passage of the toilet with a separate flush valve controlling each inlet opening so that the operator can selectively provide lesser volume flushing or larger volume flushing according to his preference.

It is an object of my invention to provide simple, durable and efficient flush mechanism for toilets which is easily controlled and provides the user with a choice as between a lesser volume flush and a larger volume flush.

Another object of the invention is to provide separate passages between a domestic toilet reservoir and the flush passage of the associated toilet which may be discharged independently according to the choice of the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flushing system for toilets with separate lines between a supply line and the toilet for low volume or higher volume flushing according to the choice of the operator.

Other objects reside in novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which will be set forth in the course of the following description.

The practice of my invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in the several views of which like parts bear similar reference numerals.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the reservoir of a toilet unit to which one control arrangement according to my invention has been incorporated;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view of another type of actuating mechanism for discharge control of a toilet supply line; and

FIG. 3 is another schematic view showing still another control arrangement for regulating the discharge of water from a supply line to flush an associated toilet.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a toilet reservoir 11 is shown in front elevation but with most of the covering structure removed to disclose the internal arrangement of parts. The reservoir has a supply line 12 delivering fresh water on demand and the line 21 discharge is controlled by a valve 13,

- the opening and closing movements of which are controlled by hinged float 14. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, two liquid levels are maintained, one at 15 determined by the seating of a valve 16 and another level 17 determined by the seating of a second valve 18. In the operation of the control mechanism it is possible to actuate a mechanism 19 having a grip 20 and through selective manipulation the mechanism will impart movement to a rod 18x extending from ball valve 18 and as soon as this ball is raised slightly from its associated seat 182, liquid flows out and allows reservoir 11 to empty to the level shown at line 17.

A hinged rod member 21 has a link member 220 connected to rod 18x and pull initiated by a mechanism 19a and associated pull 20a exerted on rod 21 imparts a swinging movement to link member 22a about the pivotal axis, thereby imparting a limited elevating movement to the rod 18x and valve 18. As soon as water from storage passes seat 18z, valve 18 moves upwardly away from seat 182 until the discharge flow effects a gravity return of valve 18 to its seat guided by the supporting structure 23 shown in FIG. 1. If the actuating mechanism is not operated further, this opening and closing movement of valve 18 will result in float 14 falling to a submerged position higher than but similar to that shown at level 17 and the intake line 12 will be opened through valve 13 to deliver additional water supply from valve 13 through a feed inlet 24 which extends into an overflow line 25 upon which valve seat l8z is located. Line 25 comprises an upper member 25a and a lower member 25b in endabutting relation and an overflow pipe 26 having conductive connection with a waste line has its upper end terminating at an elevation below seat 181 of the upper valve member 18. Preferably, valve seat 181 is disposed at about one-third the distance below the water line 15. Valve 13 also delivers water from the supply through line 29 to refill reservoir 11. Consequently, when valves 16 and 18 are seated, if the actuation of valve 13 by float 14 should admit excess liquid to the supply in reservoir 11, the upper open end of line member 25a being at the effective elevation of level 15 will accumulate such excess and deliver it through line 25 into overflow pipe 26 by which it is conducted out of the toilet reservoir, thereby maintaining the trap in the bowl below.

Valve 16 has its seat 16x in close proximity to the bottom of reservoir 11 and when it is moved off of its seat by a selected actuation of mechanism 19a, usually involving the lift of a rod 27, such rod will engage head 28 on the lift rod 28x of valve 16. Any such elevating movement causes rapid discharge of water past valve seat 16x because of the hydrostatic head maintained in the tank and this elevation of valve 16 causes the tank to empty. As soon as the quantity of water in storage is reduced appreciably, valve 13 is actuated by the lowered position of float 14 and reseating of valve 16 to cause supply water to flow again into valve 13. The action-raising valve 16 from its seat 16x also will have caused the liquid supply to be delivered through the tank filling pipe 29 into reservoir 11 after valves 16 and 18 are again seated. As previously explained any surplus delivered into reservoir 11 is discharged through overflow pipe 26.

Other types of control valves may be employed. FIG. 2 illustrates one arrangement in which a main supply line independent of a reservoir has a flush valve loop as shown at 40 and 41 with divided pipes or conduits 42a and 42b between. Conduit 42a is of greater volume or capacity than conduit 42!) and the flow through each is controlled by valves 43a and 43b, respectively, controlling a pressure flow and a vacuum breaker 44 is installed in the discharge portion beyond the junction of lines 42a and 42b. Visual identification is provided for the users selection of valve to operate for the desired flow.

As shown in FIG. 1, the regular overflow pipe 26 is used from the bottom of the tank up to the point J, over which a section of pipe is slipped over 26 up to the point K. Another piece of the same size, L-shaped 25a, is slipped over 26 that extends to the upper water line 15. Member 25a has a valve seat at l8z upon which a ball valve 18 is seated. This ball valve is actuated from 19 along rod 21 to 22a which imparts movement of rod 18x attached to ball valve. This allows a small flush of about one-third of the tank contents. Ball valve reseats and the tank is again filled to line 15. This operation does not affect the full flush and operation of full flush does not affect the small flush. The construction of this overflow line is such that it is adjustable to meet any code requirement in regard to that of a minimum flush.

HO. 3 illustrates another arrangement in which separate lines 45 and 46, respectively, have separate discharges 45x and 46x, respectively, into a toilet bowl. Each line is equipped with a vacuum breaker 44 of the type shown in FIG. 2 and the toilet bowl is shown schematically at 47. Valves 48a and 48b provide separate operation of the lines 45 and 46 so that a selective volume may be discharged into toilet bowl 47.

lclaim:

1. In a water system for delivering a flow of water in a selective volume to a conduit outlet, communicating with a conventional flush toilet bowl, a first conduit for conducting a flow of water between a source of supply and an outlet from said first conduit, a branch line extending from an upstream portion of said first conduit and returning to a downstream portion of said first conduit, a valve controlling flow positioned in said first conduit between the point of departure of said branch line upstream of said valve and the point of return of said branch line to a juncture with said first conduit downstream of said valve, a valve controlling flow in said branch line between said point of departure and said juncture, and a vacuum breaker in said first conduit downstream of the branch juncture and upstream of the conduit outlet.

2. The combination with a toilet bowl, of two conduits supplying flush water to said bowl, one said conduit supplying a lesser flow, and the other said conduit supplying a greater flow, and a separate manually operable valve in each conduit for establishing the flushing flow therethrough, whereby a person operating said valves may selectively determine the volume of a given flush by actuation of either of said valves separately. 

1. In a water system for delivering a flow of water in a selective volume to a conduit outlet, communicating with a conventional flush toilet bowl, a first conduit for conducting a flow of water between a source of supply and an outlet from said first conduit, a branch line extending from an upstream portion of said first conduit and returning to a downstream portion of said first conduit, a valve controlling flow positioned in said first conduit between the point of departure of said branch line upstream of said valve and the point of return of said branch line to a juncture with said first conduit downstream of said valve, a valve controlling flow in said branch line between said point of departure and said juncture, and a vacuum breaker in said first conduit downstream of the branch juncture and upstream of the conduit outlet.
 2. The combination with a toilet bowl, of two conduits supplying flush water to said bowl, one said conduit supplying a lesser flow, and the other said conduit supplying a greater flow, and a separate manually operable valve in each conduit for establishing the flushing flow therethrough, whereby a person operating said valves may selectively determine the volume of a given flush by actuation of either of said valves separately. 